16" vs 18" barrel

[DocMedic]

Man I must be going backwards, I'm going old school and building a 20" to replace my 18inch gun o.0

[SubOrbital]

Shoot a Stretch16 and your opinions will change!

If you want to be the one to buy me a $400 barrel for gun games where 90% of shots are within 50 yards, then sure.

[Alaskapopo]

Shoot a Stretch16 and your opinions will change!

If you want to be the one to buy me a $400 barrel for gun games where 90% of shots are within 50 yards, then sure.

I spent about 330 not bad considering it has the gas block and tube.

Pat

[bwikel]

I just built a 16in upper with the Rainier rock creek barrel. It is also intermediate length. It shoots very well with my 55gr and 75gr reloads the only downside is it is not a lapped barrel so I needed to take it through a 50 rd. break in process. Rainier guarantees the barrel to shoot sub MOA with match ammo or you can return it to them with in 90 days.

[polymerfeelsweirdman]

Thanks for the replies. This build is currently set up for limited, and it has a Vortex Spitfire on it. Though it may get a magnified optic in the future. Max distance for matches around here is about 400, though 220-300 is more common for my monthly local match. I currently have a LW stainless barrel, but it doesn't seem to do well accuracy-wise when hot. I have an Odin 18" intermediate gas and a Rainier 16" mid gas to pick from to replace it. I like the looks of the Stretch, but was trying to stick with a $250-ish budget.

Rainier has a limited run of lightweight 16" intermediate gas for $299.

https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-223-wylde-barrel-int-16-rock-creek-blank

That looks appealing

[SubOrbital]

Thanks for the replies. This build is currently set up for limited, and it has a Vortex Spitfire on it. Though it may get a magnified optic in the future. Max distance for matches around here is about 400, though 220-300 is more common for my monthly local match. I currently have a LW stainless barrel, but it doesn't seem to do well accuracy-wise when hot. I have an Odin 18" intermediate gas and a Rainier 16" mid gas to pick from to replace it. I like the looks of the Stretch, but was trying to stick with a $250-ish budget.

Rainier has a limited run of lightweight 16" intermediate gas for $299.

https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-223-wylde-barrel-int-16-rock-creek-blank

That looks appealing

It does. The only thing the Stretch barrels have over this is that they're nitrided; I own a nitrided barrel and it's absolute cheese to keep clean so. Not sure if it's worth a $75-100 premium over the Rock Creek though.

[TonytheTiger]

Thanks for the replies. This build is currently set up for limited, and it has a Vortex Spitfire on it. Though it may get a magnified optic in the future. Max distance for matches around here is about 400, though 220-300 is more common for my monthly local match. I currently have a LW stainless barrel, but it doesn't seem to do well accuracy-wise when hot. I have an Odin 18" intermediate gas and a Rainier 16" mid gas to pick from to replace it. I like the looks of the Stretch, but was trying to stick with a $250-ish budget.

Rainier has a limited run of lightweight 16" intermediate gas for $299.

https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-223-wylde-barrel-int-16-rock-creek-blank

That looks appealing

It does. The only thing the Stretch barrels have over this is that they're nitrided; I own a nitrided barrel and it's absolute cheese to keep clean so. Not sure if it's worth a $75-100 premium over the Rock Creek though.

The Stretch16 is melonited. Some day if I clean either my Stretch or my Faxon nitrided barrel I'll see what cleans better. Or not...

[MarkCO]

The Stretch16s can be bought Melonite or Cerakote.

[SubOrbital]

Rainier has a limited run of lightweight 16" intermediate gas for $299.

https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-223-wylde-barrel-int-16-rock-creek-blank

That looks appealing

It does. The only thing the Stretch barrels have over this is that they're nitrided; I own a nitrided barrel and it's absolute cheese to keep clean so. Not sure if it's worth a $75-100 premium over the Rock Creek though.

The Stretch16 is melonited. Some day if I clean either my Stretch or my Faxon nitrided barrel I'll see what cleans better. Or not...

Melonite, Nitride, QPQ, Tenifer, whatever you want to call it all refer to more or less the same thing. I am seeking a comparison of these treatments against stainless steel and whether or not it's worth the $100 difference from a Rock Creek to a Stretch.

[TonytheTiger]

Rainier has a limited run of lightweight 16" intermediate gas for $299.

https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-223-wylde-barrel-int-16-rock-creek-blank

That looks appealing

It does. The only thing the Stretch barrels have over this is that they're nitrided; I own a nitrided barrel and it's absolute cheese to keep clean so. Not sure if it's worth a $75-100 premium over the Rock Creek though.

The Stretch16 is melonited. Some day if I clean either my Stretch or my Faxon nitrided barrel I'll see what cleans better. Or not...

Melonite, Nitride, QPQ, Tenifer, whatever you want to call it all refer to more or less the same thing. I am seeking a comparison of these treatments against stainless steel and whether or not it's worth the $100 difference from a Rock Creek to a Stretch.

I see. I also have a stainless barrel I could clean to compare it to the melonite/nitride. Then again, probably not.

[MarkCO]

I have put 9700 through a Stretch 16 Melonite with no cleaning, was .6 MOA the entire time... Barrel life... 30k+. Stainless Stretch16 is .4MOA to start and will go south of 1MOA somewhere around 12k. Also, hand lapped does make a difference. Get the real thing that performs, or a knock- off? Easy answer.

Edited April 14, 2016 by MarkCO

[Stlhead]

Easy? Knock off? You never tire of making this forum your personal infomercial. Rock Creek has been turning out some of the finest barrels ever made for years before the Stretch barrels where even a glimmer. Does stretch drill their own barrels? Do they rifle them in house? Stretch did not invent 16 inches, they did not invent the intermediate has system, they where not the first company to even make a decent barrel. You shamelessly pump whatever barrel you are selling, you did it for the Nordic, now you do it for the Stretch. It may be the greatest barrel ever made, the fact that you pimp it means I would never try one and would never recommend one.

[MarkCO]

Awesome. It is too good for sometime like you anyway.

[Alaskapopo]

Easy? Knock off? You never tire of making this forum your personal infomercial. Rock Creek has been turning out some of the finest barrels ever made for years before the Stretch barrels where even a glimmer. Does stretch drill their own barrels? Do they rifle them in house? Stretch did not invent 16 inches, they did not invent the intermediate has system, they where not the first company to even make a decent barrel. You shamelessly pump whatever barrel you are selling, you did it for the Nordic, now you do it for the Stretch. It may be the greatest barrel ever made, the fact that you pimp it means I would never try one and would never recommend one.

In Marko's defense I own both the Nordic and the Stretch barrels and they are both excellent and while Stretch did not invent the 16 inch barrel or the intermediate gas system they were the first to marry the concept. Noveske wasted the intermediate gas system on a 18 inch barrel. If your letting your feelings for another respected forum member dissuaded you from recommend a product that most people have nothing but praise for it will only diminish your own credibility especially if you have never tried said product. I have not tried Rock Creek and will not disparage them because of that fact.

Pat

[Hi-Power Jack]

+1 I struggled for five minutes, before giving up, to come up with a defense

of MarkCO - you've done it. Excellent job. :bow:

[adamge]

To answer the topic question, it is about a 100 fps difference.

[Stlhead]

I am certain that anything that Markco sells is far too good for anyone, let alone poor old me. But if his stuff is so great why does he spend all his time pumping it on this forum, and why does he need Alaskapopo to defend him as well as spew more sales pitch? I don't care what people buy or who they buy it from, but I get tired of people selling their wares by promoting it on the forums like some sort of satisfied customer. He posts for Comercial purposes and his posts should be labeled as such so readers can be aware that they are on the receiving end of a sales job. Posts that are nothing more than advertisements are not useful or entertaining.

[MarkCO]

I am a satisfied customer. And, I pay to be a forum sponsor as well. However, you don't care and would rather attack and sling your vileness than understand anything related to truth. Heck, forum rules are ignored by you as well, so who really should not be posting...you.

When I first heard about the Stretch16, I told Lew, to his face, that I thought his barrel (not mine BTW and I have no financial interest in his companies) was nothing special and there were a lot of people selling snake oil parts. I tested several, overtime, abusing the heck out of a few of them, and I was very impressed with them. They outperformed anything else on the market, so yes I like them.

I am sorry that you feel the need to hound my posts and that, for whatever reason you are so blinded by your hate that truth evades you. I hope you can get some help at some point.

Edited April 16, 2016 by MarkCO

[TonytheTiger]

You should be ashamed of yourself Mark, thoroughly testing parts and then posting results. You could at least give the other barrels participation awards, that way everyone's a winner!

[Hi-Power Jack]

Why can't we all .... just get along?

I appreciate any and all advice from people who have a lot

of actual hands on ...

Hope MarkCO continues to share his thoughts and experiences. :bow:

[TonytheTiger]

Why can't we all .... just get along?

I appreciate any and all advice from people who have a lot

of actual hands on ...

Hope MarkCO continues to share his thoughts and experiences. :bow:

Yeah, wouldn't that be a bummer if we ran off all the industry people and sponsored shooters that are able to extensively evaluate products and offer their opinions on them?

[Stlhead]

Does it seem prudent to take diet advice from Jared the former Subway guy as gospel? What about food reviews writen by the chef that cooked the food? When salesmen can couch their sales pitch as an opinion given by a disinterested third party is that really fair to the consumer?

As for running off industry people and sponsored shooters, they are here to sell product, as long as there are consumers here to influence no one will be going anywhere. I just think it would be more meaningful if the spammers where to at least have the decency to admit they are spamming us.

[twodownzero]

Shoot a Stretch16 and your opinions will change!

If you want to be the one to buy me a $400 barrel for gun games where 90% of shots are within 50 yards, then sure.

I spent about 330 not bad considering it has the gas block and tube.

Pat

That's more than double the cost of the barrel necessary for most 3 gun shots and matches.

[Stlhead]

Please provide evidence of this vileness and hate. Feel free to point out the forum rules I am violating. Does paying to be a sponsor mean you can post anything you want and prohibition of having your bias pointed out? You say I don't understand truth, and then dive right into another sales pitch. You SELL this product, but still can't admit your bias. Your clam that it outperforms everything else in the market is further evidence you would say anything to sell this product. You might as well claim that it shoots it's self

You state that I am blinded by hate, but I can see quite clearly that if someone posts something you don't like you have a fit. The funny thing here is that I am not even questioning the quality of your products, just the way you choose to market them.

I am a satisfied customer. And, I pay to be a forum sponsor as well. However, you don't care and would rather attack and sling your vileness than understand anything related to truth. Heck, forum rules are ignored by you as well, so who really should not be posting...you.

When I first heard about the Stretch16, I told Lew, to his face, that I thought his barrel (not mine BTW and I have no financial interest in his companies) was nothing special and there were a lot of people selling snake oil parts. I tested several, overtime, abusing the heck out of a few of them, and I was very impressed with them. They outperformed anything else on the market, so yes I like them.

I am sorry that you feel the need to hound my posts and that, for whatever reason you are so blinded by your hate that truth evades you. I hope you can get some help at some point.

[Alaskapopo]

I am certain that anything that Markco sells is far too good for anyone, let alone poor old me. But if his stuff is so great why does he spend all his time pumping it on this forum, and why does he need Alaskapopo to defend him as well as spew more sales pitch? I don't care what people buy or who they buy it from, but I get tired of people selling their wares by promoting it on the forums like some sort of satisfied customer. He posts for Comercial purposes and his posts should be labeled as such so readers can be aware that they are on the receiving end of a sales job. Posts that are nothing more than advertisements are not useful or entertaining.

Of course sellers are going to push their products on the forum. It would be bad business not to. Marko is not doing anything unethical or wrong in anyway. As a potential buyer you have a brain and are aware sellers are biased towards their own products. If Marko were hiding that he was a dealer that would be one thing but he is not. Its out in the open. I have respect for both you guys and I think you are both better than this type of banter.

Pat

Edited April 17, 2016 by Alaskapopo